Folding machine and method



Feb. 28, 1933. J. P. BYRON ET AL FOLDING MACHINE AND METHOD Filed Aprii9. 1921 5 Sheets-Sheet l s ..W.. m 7 31 f W 34. 68 MW) Q5 0 fl Feb 28,1933. J, P. BYRON ET AL FOLDING MACHINE AND METHOD Filed April 9. 1921 3Sheets-Sheet 2 //7 Me n fora Java/776 P Byrw; ind/aw fP/adsnrffami/fo/wejy Feb. 28, 1933. J, p, BYRON ET AL 1,899,077?

FOLDING MACHINE AND METHOD Filed April 9. 1921 3 Sheets-Sheet s PatentedFeb. 28, 1933 UNITED :STATES JEROME I. BYRON, 0E LYNN, AND ANDREW R.RIDDEBSTROM, OF NBHANT, M ASSA PATENT OFFICE GHUSETTS, ASSIGNORS, BYMESNE AssIGNMENTs TO UNITED SHOE MACHINERY GORPORATION,'OF PATERSON, NEWJERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY FOLDING- MACHINE AN D METHODApplication filed April 9,"

The present invention relates to folding methods and machines, and moreparticularly to methods of and machines for folding a binding striparound the edge of a boot or shoe upper to which it is attached.

The object of the present invention 1s to provide an improved method ofthe abovedescribed character and an improved machine particularlyadapted for use in carrying out the improved method.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a side elevation, partly in vertical sectionalong the line 1-1 of Fig. 3, looking in the direction ofthe arrows, ofa machine constructed accordmg to a preferred embodiment of the presentinvention; Fig. 2 is a section taken along the line 22 of Fig. 1,looking in the direction of the arrows; Fig. 8 is a front elevation,partly in vertical section along the line 3-3 of Fig 1, looking in thedirection of the arrows; Fig. 4 is a horizontal section, taken upon theline 4-4 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows; Figs. 5 to 8inclusire are views showing successively assumed positions of portionsof the mechanisms shown more particularly in Fig. 1; and Fig. 9 is aview correspondin to Fig. 7, showing certain parts enlarged forclearness.

The present invention will be hereinafter described in connection withthe folding of a binding strip 402, Figs. 5 to 8, of cloth, silk and thelike, around the edge 404 of a sheet of leather or other material 406,such as a boot or shoe upper, to which it is attached. The attaching isusuallyeflected by sewing an edge 408 of the strip to a face 410 of theshoe upper, along the .edge 404, so that the sheet and the strip extendat an angle to each other from the secured-together edges 404 and 408.Thestitches are shown at 412. The angle between the sheet .and the stripis usually small, thesheet and the strip extending generally in more orless close parallelism, but the angle may be quite large. The particulararticle described above is chosen herein for illustrative purposes only,in order to fix the ideas, and the invention is not limitedto operationupon any specific article.

Tn practicing the invention, the shoe upper is placed with the face 410resting upon 1921. Serial No. 459,894.

a platform or support 424. The unsecured or free edge 426 of the strip402 is initially moved by hand into the space between two gripper jaws12 and 432. The machine being then set into operation, successiveportions of the unsecured edge 426 of the strip 402 are intermittentlygripped by the gripper jaws and pulled across the secured-together edges404 and 408, and folded tightly around these edges, in the direction ofthe arrow, Fig. 7. It is very important that the stri be pulled verytightly and folded while he d tightly. The folded portions areintermittently advanced by a feed mechanism to fold-presser 4 ofwell-known type that intermittently presses down the folded portionsinto even contact with the face 116 of the sheet, Fig. 8. The bindingstrip is caused to adhere to the sheet by cement. These operations arecontinued alternately in timed relation to each other, until the wholestrip has been folded.

The machine shown in the accompanying drawings for the purpose ofillustrating the invention is modelled somewhat after a well.

known machine disclosed in the patent to Diehl, No. 733,170, July 7,1903, but suitably modified to adapt it to the carrying out of themethod of the present invention, and reference is made to the saidpatent for a fuller description of such details as are not more fullydescribed or illustrated herein, because not particularly related tothis invention. The same reference characters are employed in the pr%entdrawings to indicate parts that correspond more or less closely to thoseshown in the patent. The base 1 of the machine is shown provided with anoverhanging arm 2 in the forward portion of which is fitted a verticallyreciprocating fold-presser bar 3 carrying the fold presser 4 andactuated by the usual crank-and-pitman connection with the forward endof the rock-shaft 5 having upon its rear end the crank pin 6, connectedbyvthe vpitman 7 with a crank pin 8, mounted between the balance wheel 9and the rotary main shaft 10. The feed point 442, of wellknownconstruction, co-operates with the usual four-way feed block 441. Thefeed block .441 is driven by an old and frequently employed mechanismthatis shown partly b full lines and partly by dotted lines in ig. 3.The usual (gage 434 is employed to gulde the stock, an it is positionedso that the binding stri shall be engaged by the edge of the lat orm orsupport 424 and the unsecured e go of the strip maintained separatedfrom the sheet, as 1s illustrated more particularly in'Figs. 1 and 5, toenable the gripper jaws 12 an 432 to secure a good grip thereon. I

The ripper jaws 12 and 432 are mounted to oscil ate in a plane obliqueto the foldpresser 4. The gripper jaw 12 is fixed upon one end of aslightly inclined rock-shaft 13, disposed substantially parallel withthe hne of feed and mounted in suitable hearings in a swinging frame orcarrier 14, pivoted upon centers 15, so as to reciprocate thereontransversely of the line of the feed, the shaft 13 having upon itsopposite end a crank 16, carrying a pin 17 loosely fitted to rock withina slide block 18. The said end of the shaft 13 is bent slightly out ofline with the body of the shaft, as shown in Fig. 3, to permit theripper jaws 12 and 432 to operate in near y a vertical plane. Thereciprocating frame or carrier 14 is connected, intermediate its pivotalbearings and the rock-shaft 13 mounted thereon, by means of a link 19,to the shorter arm 20 of a substantially rightangular bell-crank leverWhose other and longer arm 21 is connected by a link 22 to a forkedlever 23, pivoted upon the frame or carrier 14. The slide block 18 isadapted to be reciprocated between the prongs of the forked lever 23 toeffect the actuation of the crank 16. The bell crank 20, 21 is fixedupon the outer end of a short intermediate shaft 24, mounted in suitabletransverse bearings in the base of the machine and having upon its innerend a lateral crank-arm 25, deriving a vibrating motion from a pitman26, connected therewith at one end by a ball-joint and at the oppositeend embracing a ballcrank 27 upon the main shaft 10. As indicated in thedrawings, the several rock-shafts and pivotal pins of the train ofmechanism intermediate the shaft and the pitman 26 are disposed in linesparallel with the shaft.

By reference to Fig. 1 it will be observed that the bell-crank or rocker20, 21 is so disposed upon its supporting rocksshaft 24 that in thelower position of the gripper jaws, illustrated in Figs. 1 and 5, boththe arms 20 and 21 are substantially above the axis of the rock-shaftand, in the motions to and from such position, actuate the partsconnected with the links 19 and 22 at nearly equal speeds; but as saidbell-crank aproaches the full-line position indicated in ig. 1 of theabove-named patent and in Fig. 7 of the present drawings, the shorterarm 20 maintains its substantially uniform speed of movement, while thelonger arm nearly crosses. the center of oscillation, thus producing adifferential speed of motion of the reciprocating members 19 and 22, and

therefore of the carrier 14 and forked lever tached to the latter bydirect pivotal connections.

The gri per jaw 432 is automatically actuated by t e gripper jaw 12through a gear 444 that is pivota ly mounted at 446 upon the gripper jaw12 so as to rock thereon, and that meshes with ear 448 that is fixed tothe jaw 432, and t at is similarly rockably mounted upon the gripper jaw12 at 450. Rocking movement of the gear 444 is thus communicated to thegear 448 and, therefore, to the gripper jaw 432 to which the latter isfixed. The gear 444 is automatically rocked back and forth by a rack bar452 that meshes with the gear 444 and that is slidably mounted in aholder 454. As the gripper jaw 12 is oscillated back and forth by 1tsabove-described 'actuatin mechanism, it causes the rack bar toreciprocate in the holder 454, this reciprocation causing the rocking ofthe gears 444 and 448 and, therefore, the alternate opening and closingof the gripper aws.

As the gear 444 does not travel along a straight line, it is necessary,in order that the rack bar 452 may be malntained in mesh therewith, notonly that the rack bar reciprocate, but that it be capable also oftransverse movement. In the specific embodi-,

ment of the invention that is herein illustrat ed and described, therack bar and its holder 454 are both permitted to oscillatetransversely. To this end, the holder 454 is pivotally mounted about astud 456 that is secured to a depending bracket 458. A coil spring 460tends to maintain the holder 454 so as to hold the rack bar in mesh withthe gear 444, but the spring yields to permit the rack bar being forcedoutward transversely in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 8, during thereturn movement of the gripper jaws after they have released their holdupon the binding strip.

In order that the rack bar shall not bind in the holder 454, the opening462, Fig. 2, through which the rack bar slides is made greater than thethickness of the bar at its intermediate reduced portion 464. The faceof the rack bar at 464 is made flat so that it may be engaged by abearin plate 466.

The bearing plate is maintaine pressed flat spring-pressed plunger 468.The pressure of the spring 470 upon the plunger 468 may be adjusted by athumb screw 472. By this construction, the rack bar is held tightlyinthe holder 454, but is prevented from bindingthcreagainst during itsreciprocation.

By reference to Figs. 5 to 8, inclusive, it

will be seen that the unfolded portions of the,

sheet is horizontal and unfolded portiolit of.

the strip are extending they are gripped.

The invention has beendescribed herein as embodied in a special machineof well downwardly when known type, because leading to clearnessofunderstanding and brevity of description, without confusing theessential novelty of the invention. It will be understood, however, thatthe invention itself is not restricted to any particular machine, andthat modifications may be made by persons skilled in the art withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention as defined in the appendedclaims.

What is claimed as new is:

1. A machine of the class described having, in combination, two gripperjaws, means for actuating one of the jaws, a gear pivoted upon said jaw,a gear meshing with the firstnamed gear fixed upon the other jaw, and agear meshing with the pivoted gear movable upon the actuation of thesaid first-named jaw to effect the movement of the pivoted gear and,through the latter, of the secondnamed gear.

2. A machine for folding a strip around the edge of a sheet of materialto one face of which, along said edge, an edge of the strip is securedso that the strip and the sheet extend from the secured-together edgesat an angle to each other, said machine having, in combination, asupport upon which the sheet is adapted to rest,a gage for guiding thesheet positioned so that the "strip shall be engaged by the edge of thesupport.

and means for gripping the edge-engaged strip and moving it across thesecured-together edges.

3. A. machine of the class described having, in combination, two gripperjaws, means for actuating one of the jaws along a curved path, a gearpivoted upon said jaw, a gear meshing with the first-named gear fixedupon the other jaw, a rack bar meshing with the pivoted gear movableupon the actuation of the said first-named jaw to effect the movement ofthe pivoted gear and, through the latter, of the second-named gear, amovable holder in which the rack bar is adapted to slide and meanswhereby the rack bar is held tightl in the holder.

4. machine for folding a strip around the ed e of a sheet of material toone face of which, along said edge, an edge of the strip .is secured sothat the strip and the sheet extend from the secured-together edges atan angle to each other, the said machine having, in combination, meansfor feeding the sheet, means for engagin the strip to maintain theunsecured edge 0 the strip separated from the sheet while the sheet isfed, and means for gripping theiuns'ecured edge of the strip and movingit across the securedtogether edges.

5. The method of folding a strip around the edge of a sheet of materialto one face of which, along the said edge, an edge of the :strip issecured so that the sheet and the strip extend from the secured-togetheredges at an angle to each other, a ridge being adapted to be formed atthe junction be tween the sheet and the strip by the folding of thestrip around the edge of the sheet, the said method comprisingsupporting the sheet upon a support having an edge with the ridgeprojecting beyond the said edge of the support, and folding the striparound the secured-together edges.-

6. A machine for folding a strip around the edge of a sheet of materialto one face of whichfalong the said edge, the strip is secured, therebeing a ridge at the junction between the sheet and the, strip, the saidmachine having, in combination, a support having an edge, the sheetbeing adapted to be supported upon the support with the ridge projectingbeyond the said edge'of the support, means for foiding the strip aroundthe secured-together edges and means for feeding the sheet and the stripwith the sheet supported upon the support and the ridge projectingbeyond the said edge of the support.

7. A machine for folding a strip around the the edge of sheet ofmaterial to one face of which, aiong the said edge, an edge of the stripis secured, there being a ridge at the junction between the sheet andthe strip,

the said machine having, in combination, a

support having an edge,the sheet being adapted to be supported upon thesupport with the ridge projecting beyond the said edge of the support,and means for folding the strip around the secured-together edges,

, between the sheet and thestrip, the said machine having, incombination, means for foldoperating with the support for pressing thestrip against the other face of the sheet.

9. The method of folding a strip around the edge of a sheet of materialto one face of which, along the said edge, the strip is secured, therebeing a ridge at the junction between the sheet and the strip, the saidmethod comprising supporting the sheet upon a support havin an ed withthe ridge engaging the said e ge of t e support and pro'ecting beyondthe said edge 0 the support, olding the strip around the said edge ofthe sheet, and pressing the strip against the other face of the sheet.

10. A machine for folding a strip around the edge of a sheet of materialto one face of which, alon the said edge, the strip is secured, thereeing a ridge at the junction between the sheet and the strip, the saidmachine having, in combination, a support having an edge upon which thesheet is adapted to rest with the ridge engaging the said edge of thesupport and projecting beyond the said edge of the support, and meansfor folding the stri around the said edge of the sheet.

11.; he method of folding astrip around the edge of a sheet of materialto one face of which along the edge an edge of the strip is secured sothat the sheet and the strip extend from the secured-together edges atan angle to each other, the said method comprising grippin the stripwhileit is in a position in which t e angle included between it and thatface of the sheet material to which the strip is attached is less thanone hundred and eighty degrees, folding the strip around thesecured-together edges, and pressing the strip into contact with theother face of the sheet.

12. The method of folding a strip around the edge of a sheet of materialto one face of which alon the edge an edge of the strip is secured so tat the sheet and the strip extend from the secured-together edges at enangle to each other, the said method comprising grip ing the strip whileit is in a position in .whic the angle included between it and that faceof the sheet to which the stri is attached is less than one hundred andeig ty degrees, pulling it across and around the secured-together edgesand pressing it against the other face of the sheet.

13. A machine for folding a strip around the edge of a sheet of materialto one face of which alon said edge an edge of the strip is secured so tat the strip and the sheet extend from the secured-together edges at anangle to each other, said machine having in combination, two gripperjaws adapted to grip intermittently successive ortions of the stripwhlle the angle includ between said ortions and that face of thematerial to w ich the strip is attached is less than one hundred angleto each other, said machine having, in,

combination, means for intermittently feeding the sheet, means forgripping successively advanced portions of the strip while the angleincluded between said portions and that face of the sheet to which thestrip is attached is less than one hundred and eighty degrees, and forfolding said portions around the securedtogether edges during pauses inthe feed, and means for pressing the successively folded portions intocontact with the other face of the sheet.

15. A machine for folding a strip around the edge of a sheet of materialto one face of which along said edge an edge of the strip is secured sothat the stri and the sheet extend from the secured-toget er edges at anangle to each other, said machine having, in combination, a support forthe sheet, means'for feeding the sheet over the support with the stripextending downward, means for gripping downwardly extending portions ofthe strip and folding them around the securedtogether edges, and meansfor pressing them against the 11 per face of the sheet.

16. A mac ine for folding a strip over the edge of a sheet of materialto one face of which, along said edge, an edge of the strip is securedso that the strip and the sheet extend from the secured-together edgesat an angle to each other, said machine having, in

combination, two gripper jaws adapted to gri intermittently successiveportions of the strip and fold them about said edges, means foroperating one ripper jaw from the other, a fold-presser, and means foractuating said other jaw and the fold-presser.

In testimony whereof, we have hereunto subscribed our names this 31stday of March,

JEROME P. BYRON. ANDREW R. RIDDERSTROM.

